Let’s talk queefing during yoga!
My bestie and I were standing in the dressing room, talking about this weird thing called queefing that no one EVER talks about.. So my mind went straight to bringing it into some good fruition. I bring to you…
This blog post. (insert deep announcer voice with dramatic music in the background)
Warning: Adultish blog post ahead!
What is QUEEFING??
According you dictionary.com (because that is how you start every talk, presentation or blog post, RIGHT?), it says that it is an expulsion of air through the vagina. Also known as Vaginal Flatulence. Expulsion.. who decided to use that word? It is definitely descriptive!
So there you go, folks! It is LIKE or SIMILAR to a fart but let’s get something clear.. they are very different! This has no relation to any feces and has zero smell. It also doesn’t last long in there; it is just normal, clean air that enters into the vag (especially easy to do while doing wild thing pose) and then the air comes out again shortly after (when you come back down into downward dog, for example).
Why does queefing happen?
There are many reasons queefing can happen. Obesity, sex, even coughing! In my case it was the beautiful births of my children (Of course I love them!).
The muscles in your pelvic floor get weakened and lose the ability to hold everything in place. Things get loose and air has the chance to come in. It then doesn’t stay very long because the vigina quickly runs into the cervix and the air has nowhere to go but back out.
Queefing during yoga specifically
It is clear how easy it is for air to come in and out while doing ALL the poses from upside down, to jumping, to legs spread out or one leg in the air.. you get the picture.
Many times I will turn to the person beside me before the class even starts and warn them beforehand. Yup, I guess I am now that girl that no one wants to lay their mat next to! But hey, I warned them! Or afterward, I will casually say, “Sorry for the extra music!” … They give me a blank stare which then gives me a refreshing reassurance that it wasn’t THAT bad.
I also LOVE when the instructor will actually point out the elephant in the room. I know we are calm and relaxed and all but still human! In my practice yesterday, we were guided into happy baby pose and the instructor said, “It is ok if you fart.. you are still a yogi!” Yes. THANK YOU.
So anybody with a vagina has experienced this… and if you haven’t, you aren’t living to the fullest! Let’s start with the best way to do that here. While working on that, can we please normalize queefing?? You know, make it a hashtag (currently ZERO posts about this under that hashtag on Insta… Let’s get to work ladies!), call it out! Make it known that YOU ARE NORMAL AND IT IS OKAY!
Okay so we normalize it, we accept it, we love our bodies even more for it.. can we still prevent it?
YES! (Insert Dean Winchester with his hands in the air screaming excitedly gif here)
Activate mula bandha by engaging the pelvic floor muscles while in your practice by bringing them upward. You can also practice kegal exercises while outside of class. I make it a goal to do as many kegals as I can during stop lights when I drive. TMI? Isn’t that what this post is all about!? It really does help though and you will thank me later, so you are welcome.
Still not convinced that the world doesn’t stop turning when this happens to you? Read the 5 stages of queefing in yoga class, it made me laugh! Also keep in mind that I will probably reach over and give you a high five if I am next to you. It is just air, it happens to the best of us and since you can’t completely close your vagina, it will happen to you.
But hey, while you are breathing heavily, inhale acceptance and love toward your body and it’s functions and exhale – let it go. Learn from your vagina and move on.
